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One major impediment to the adoption of electric vehicles is the high cost of public charging stations for EV’s, as the charging units are very expensive.

Ubitricity.de has come up with a novel solution whereby the ordinary street lamp post can be fitted with an electric vehicle charging point for the reasonable cost of 500 to 800 euros per streetlight, which is certainly more doable than the 10,000 euros of your typical EV charge point in Europe!

No more petrol stations for you — ever! Image courtesy of Ubitricity.de (screenshot, no video)

Street lamp post locations in selected cities within Germany are now being fitted with a Ubitricity Charge Point, allowing electric vehicle drivers to charge their car battery.

Drivers prepay the cost of the electricity via Ubitricity to charge at these locations. Ostensibly at least, every street lamp post and parking meter in Europe could be fitted with one of these charge points.

Not only do German drivers have the option of charging their EV’s at home, now they can now pick up a charge while they shop, have coffee with friends, or while they spend the day at their workplace.

“We are convinced there is room for this technology to be applied everywhere it’s needed, but we think that in most places there is a pressing need for investment in a charging infrastructure to allow the installation of charging points, not only here on lamp posts, but also in the workplace, at home and in underground carparks.

Governments are keen to cut the number of gas guzzling cars on the roads to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Many are offering cash incentives to drivers to buy electric. But take-up has been slow partly due to the lack of charging stations.

There are lots of lamp posts which are already very well connected to the electricity network. Equipping a lamp post costs between 300 and 500 euros, depending on the circumstances at that location. When you consider the production price of our charging sockets, it is a long way from the 10,000 euros which must typically be invested in a charging station.” — Founder of Ubitricity, Frank Pawlitsche

All you need is an Electric Vehicle and Mobile Phone (app), your prepaid Ubitricity account and Ubitricity connector cable, and you’re set

Ubitricity’s portable, street lamp post EV Charge Point.

The great thing about the Ubitricity parking spots with their electric vehicle charge point is that they’re normal parking spots with a plug-in added. Your mobile phone app displays the Ubitricity ‘Charge Point’ locations.

You can park there all day and return to a car that is fully energized and ready to go. No more gas stations for you!

It’s a wonderful idea. Street lamp post and parking meters are everywhere it seems and combining a parking spot with an EV charge point is a stroke of genius.

Boy those Germans are smart. Gut gemacht! (Well done!)

Driving electric is a cornerstone of Germany’s Energiewende energy policy

Only when driving on renewables will EV users avoid greenhouse gas emissions — not just locally but on a global scale. Renewable energies and EVs are natural partners of a sustainable energy and transportation sector. — From the Ubitricity website

Not only Ubitricity — but BMW is getting into the act too!

BMW i3 charging at a Ubitricity location in Berlin, Germany.

Drivers of the much-loved BMW i3 electric vehicle will soon have their own BMW charging network and software to guide you to nearby charge points.

Eventually, BMW will build their network across Europe to facilitate EV travel across the continent.

BMW has a vision to offer buyers their choice of gasoline powered — or as an option electric powered, or hybrid/electric powered cars across all model lines.

BMW is also famous for installing wind turbines, solar panels, and biomass power plants at it’s German factories, and taking their factories completely off-grid!

It also has plans to get into the consumer electricity business throughout Europe.

You’ll soon be able to buy a BMW car and a BMW motorcycle for your driveway and BMW electricity for your home and office. All produced by renewable energy and only renewable energy.

A note about TESLA Model S drivers and their unique charging situation/opportunities

TESLA Model S at a SuperCharger location. Image courtesy of Edmonds.

All TESLA vehicles can access the Ubitricity lamp post charge points, but don’t forget to bring your Ubitricity charging cable — unlike the TESLA SuperCharger stations where the cable is permanently attached to the SuperCharger unit.

A benefit of TESLA SuperCharger top-ups is that they usually take 10-15 minutes. Look, there’s a Starbucks!

Another benefit is that (TESLA Model S drivers only) enjoy free charging at TESLA SuperCharger stations (for the life of the car) because that’s what you get for 70,000+ euros.

But once your TESLA is charged, you must return to move your car in order to let other TESLA drivers access the SuperCharger, much like gas-engined drivers can’t leave their car in front of the gas pump while they go shopping.

Only the Ubitricity solution gives all EV drivers a convenient parking spot — and a charge. The ability to simply ‘Park and Plug’ in one location in today’s crowded cities is a very big plus indeed.